Lucky
by blauhoernchen55
Summary: An adventures little kitten finds herself in a strange, unknown place. When her worst fears seemingly become true her life will never be the same again but then again nor will those of Sheppard and McKay.
1. Arrival

**AN **This story was betaed by June Odyssee. Thank you! :-)

I hope you'll like it. Let me know if you'd like to read a sequel. I haven't made up my mind yet...

* * *

For a long time now she had been at this very strange place. There was some constant noise in her ear and it was dark as well but her eyes allowed her to see everything as clearly as in bright daylight. Because of the constant noise she was in no good mood. It wasn't a very loud noise but it never ended and lately it was getting on her nerves. How had she ended up here anyway? Until now she had been able not to get caught by the humans but she had to be careful. She could almost always hear them outside. So far no one had entered here but since there wasn't any water or food she had to sneak out to find herself some at the hours when she had noticed only a few humans were active. Living up to her name, she had been lucky up to now and at the other hours she hid in her hiding place for safety. Then one day she could hear excite talking of the humans. Something must have happened, she mused, right before she found herself enveloped in a very bright light. When she came to, her hiding place and all the other stuff were still there but the room looked completely different. It was then Lucky noticed that finally the annoying constant noise was gone! Her mood immediately improved but then humans strolled into the room and she hurriedly hid herself.

What happened here? Box after box were carried away and she feared for her hiding place. Then finally after a long time all at once one human was looking at something on his arm and after some talking to his buddies they went off. Now was her time to find herself a new hiding place before they returned. Carefully, she made her way to the door and, securing the area, she tried to explore this new place without getting caught. It was in the middle of the day, but strangely there were hardly any humans in the corridors. Lucky her - she had been able to go unseen so far.

Suddenly a door next to her opened and she jumped, nearly panicking. But nothing more happened, no human came out and so she sneaked into that room. It seemed quite and at a closer inspection she noticed several places where she could hide and she even spotted blankets on a rise. Perfect.

Lucky jumped on in. Wow, these were really nice blankets she thought making herself comfortable and they smelled nice, too. Exhausted she drifted toward sleep. At first her ears were still switching in alarm, but then she fell into a deep slumber.

AAhgh! No! Big mistake! She brutally was awakened being gripped by two human hands.

"What the…?"

"What is it Colonel?" McKay asked concerned from the door of John's quarters.

Sheppard turned around without saying a word, a struggling Lucky in his hands.

"Aaaw. How had _she_ gone here?"

"Yeah wouldn't we all like to know? How did she manage to sneak into my quarters? Now that's something I wonder about even more."

"You know, Sheppard, you really are Kirk to all females, no matter what species! Only you would find someone like her in your bed coming back to you quarters after lunch.

Sheppard eyed his friend. "Are you jealous?"

"Me?! Now Colonel I guarantee you..."

Sheppard smirked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Oh... okay. It just seems unfair. See, I told you about Kitty, didn't I?"

Nodding, Sheppard loosened his hold on Lucky but didn't let go of her while studying her curiously.

"She really is a little beauty, isn't she?"

Lucky felt Sheppard hand gently caressing her. Deciding these two humans weren't a threat, she stopped struggling and joined their conservation. "Meow!"

* * *

**AN** Just a little story I head to get out of my head.

I remembered McKay having cats he had to give away to a neighbor before he came to Atlantis.

**AN** This is for Peter, who was the first to review (apart from my beta, of cause) - thank you so much :-))

Since you are a guest I can only hope you will be reading this.

So - wich species is Lucky? Take a closer look at the cover picture and you will see Lucky ;-) and of cause she is from earth...

**AN** I've changed the cover picture to make it more obvious.


	2. Food

Thanks to June Odysse and ShinobiTwin05 who encouraged me to write further chapters.

Thanks Peter for reviewing.

June did also the beta on this story. Thanks again :-)

Enjoy...

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Smiling, John was gently stroking a black and white kitten that in return had begun to purr while her little paws were treading into his arms. McKay reached out to tickle her under her chin with his knuckles.

"I wonder how she got to Atlantis," John said, repeating McKay's words from earlier.

"Surely she must have arrived with the Daedalus."

"Couldn't have been a very pleasant journey…"

Both men were happily taking up the challenge to make up for her most likely unpleasant journey to Atlantis.

"Look at her. She's rather thin," McKay noticed.

"Seen that. I doubt that there were any mice for her to catch aboard of the Daedalus…" For a short while John had the disturbingly vivid image of Colonel Caldwell ordering a mouse hunt on board the Daedalus before his eyes. Shaking himself out of it, he said, "Okay, we'll have to get her something to eat. I could get some milk from the mess hall…"

"Are you nuts?! Cats aren't allowed to drink milk!" McKay cut in, horrified, dropping his hand appalled, which spooked the kitten and earned him a glare from John.

"Oh, yeah? That's what you can read about it in all those children stories…" John snorted at McKay while tenderly trying to reassure the small bundle in is arms once more.

"Those authors clearly have failed to do basic research… Wait, you are reading stories about cats?"

"When I was a kid, McKay!" John answered, annoyed but his mood improved when he noticed that the kitten had started to purr again.

"See, I never pictured you as that kind. Always figured you were one of those kids only into adventurer's tales… Did you ever read_ Mirl the Kitten and the Blue Circus Trailer_? It was one of my favorites. But with a sad ending, you see Mirl …"

"McKay!"

"What?!"

"Care to tell me why can't we give her milk?"

"Well perhaps we can…"

"McKay!" John cried out in desperation. "Only a minute ago you called me nuts for the mere suggestion!"

"Oh, well you see, most cats will get sick when you give them milk, more precisely they get scours…"

"Gee thanks, McKay," John commented dryly.

Unperturbed, McKay continued, "… they aren't able to digest the milk sugar. Well, think along the way of lactose-intolerance but different."

"Okay I think I'll get the picture, get to the point."

"See, like humans some cats are able to drink milk due to a genetic mutation." McKay finished his lecture.

"Didn't know you were into all this medic stuff, thought you call it all voodoo…"

McKay looked at him indignant. "You have to know the basic facts when you get yourself a pet, Colonel!"

"Okay, so what now?"

"Well, we could check out milk and try some rare meat... and vegetables."

"Veggies?" John looked at him, agitated again, shielding Lucky rather protective.

"Don't give me that look. Sure you know cats eat their mice along with the innards. They need some of those essential amino acids too that you can only find in plants. They are called essential for a reason. Mice are eating plants… well I'm sure you get it."

"No need picture it any further McKay!" John warned. "Let's get to the mess hall…"

"Wait!"

"What is it now?" After setting the kitten down at his bed John turned to his friend.

"Um, we'll have to get her some kind of litter box…"

"Oh, haven't thought of that. Well, getting a plastic box is easy enough… Let's think about the rest later."

Both men hurried away to the mess hall.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Okay, there we are. Go get some milk from one of the tables." McKay ordered John upon their arrival.

"Now that's the easy task. As to the rest… McKay, you'll have to distract the cook so I can sneak into the storage and get some meat along with any vegetables."

"Can't we just ask him for some?"

"Yeah. Like to see his reaction. 'Hey, care to give us some meat, rare if you don't mind and oh, about 50 Grams or so will do. By the way, do you happen to have some mini-carrots?'"

"Um perhaps you are right. Okay, everything for little Fluffy…"

"Fluffy?!" John stopped dead in his tracks looking horrified.

"Well, she's fluffy, isn't she? Hence 'Fluffy'."

"There is no way I'm calling my cat 'Fluffy' McKay!" answered John, disgusted.

"No need to have a cow, Colonel! Wait! What do you mean '_my_' cat?"

"Found her in my quarters, McKay. She decided that herself. Won't betray her. Hence my cat." John looked at his friend gleefully.

McKay huffed.

"But you are welcome to visit…" John offered. "I'll make you her godfather."

"Oh, well. Will you lend her to me? Just sometimes?" McKay asked, still a little miffed.

"Sure thing! Someone will have to look after her when I'm not around."

Then after a moment McKay suggested, "What about 'Blacky'?"

"'Blacky'? Um, better but no, and by the way she isn't all black. I think I'll call her… 'Lucky'. Yup. Plain and simple and fitting."

"Lucky..." McKay tried out the name. "Okay."

"Good! That's settled. Now what about distracting the cook?"

"Okay, I think I have an idea!" McKay shooed John away and watched the Colonel getting in position, meaning hiding behind a pillar close to the stuff entrance to the kitchen. Then McKay hurried towards the counter putting on a face of determination and annoyance.

"Hey!" he shouted "Higgens! You there?"

"What is it McKay?" Higgins demanded to know strolling over without any need to hurry.

"What was in that last meal of yours?"

"Why?"

"Well, I get this tingling…"

"Tingling?!"

"Yeah tingling. This is serious, Higgins, if there was citrus in it…"

John tuned out of the conversation. You could always count on McKay to get a rise out of people! Sneaking into the storage, he ever so carefully opened the cold storage trying to avoid making a noise. After he closed the doors he fumbled for the light and switched it on before he set himself to work. From the ceiling dangled a big piece of meat and getting out his combat knife he cut some small pieces out of it. In one of the racks he noticed even some plastic to wrap it. Perfect. He slipped his booty under his shirt. 'Drat it! Co-old! Okay as for the vegetables …'– he quickly gripped a carrot from a pile and slit out.

"…McKay!" He could hear Higgins growling.

"Now, now, no need to get nasty Higgins! I merely suggested you pay better attention of what you actually put into those stew of yours!"

Noticing John was back, he begged off. "Um, strange, the tingling is gone. It seems as if you got off the hook this time." With this last comment McKay turned on his heels and stomped out of the mess hall, leaving a fuming cook behind.

"Seems you've outdone yourself, McKay!" John sniggered but McKay only waved him off.

"Yeah! Yeah! I bow to the audience… now did you get it?"

"Yup!"

"Then where is it?!"

"I hid it under my shirt, McKay…"

"So what are you waiting for? No use staying here and telling me all about it. Lucky will be hungry!" He hurried down the corridor shouting across the shoulder halfway down "You're coming?"

After returning to John's quarters, both men were watching their little kitten caringly with silly grins on their faces while Lucky dig into her meal with gusto.


	3. Litter box

AN Thank's to everyone who is reviewing this story :)) Please keep on ;)

Thank's to June who betead again.

I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

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Lucky finished her meal and jumped on the armchair close to the window, settling herself so she was able to look outside before she only minute later drifted back into an exhausted sleep.

"Aaaw… look she's sleeping," McKay said in a hushed voice.

"I have an idea about her litter box," Sheppard told his friend, equally hushed. "Botany!"

"Yea, that's…" McKay grinned. "As before?"

Sheppard nodded. "Let's go. We have to be at the meeting with Elizabeth later."

Both went off for their next task.

SGASGASGA

Dr. Parish rushed back to the botany lab to grab his memos for the meeting with Dr. Weir. Thanks to McKay into whom he had run half an hour ago, he now had no time to go over them once more. The man hadn't reacted to anything he had said or done to end their conversation. Okay, he knew that McKay liked to talk but this had been bad - even for him! If the Colonel hadn't radioed the other man he'd sure still be stuck! On arriving in his lab, Dr. Parrish headed over to his desk, got his notes, and was about to leave when he noticed that somehow the supply area looked different. He went over. One big bag of sand was gone along with a great flat plastic plant tub. Perhaps it had been Katie? Although she had never done this before without asking him besides the bag would have been too heavy for her. Strange.

SGASGASGA

Back in his quarters Sheppard put down the heavy bag with a groan.

"Man, is this stuff heavy!"

"Don't complain to me, Sheppard. Aren't you military guys supposed to work out?"

Sheppard gave him a look that didn't seem too friendly.

Lucky, who had awoken upon their return, had left her arm chair and was now brushing her head against Sheppard's leg. When she jumped on a nearby chair afterwards to overview everything both men were doing instead of walking over to McKay, Sheppard gave her a proud smile.

"See, she knows who did the hard work here!"

McKay only huffed at him. "You hadn't to talk to Parrish about all nonsense plant-stuff. I'm sure I fried my brain."

"Give me a hand here, will you?" With that Sheppard took out his combat knife and cut the bag open. Together they filled the sand into plant tub while Lucky jumped down from the chair to inspect this new thing. A few minutes later an agitated little kitten pawed in the sand sending it flying in all directions.

"Hey!" Sheppard called out. "You know the sand is supposed to remain in your box, you little minx. I can only hope you manners will improve!"

Picking up is tone, Lucky paused to look at him. Then she tossed sand out of the box one last time before she went out to brush against Sheppard legs once more, purring.

"Are you trying to cozy up on me, Lucky? If that's so, I must say it works." Grinning, he picked her up and the purring became more prominent.

McKay regarded him with a knowing look. "There you go Colonel. From Military Commander of Atlantis to the slave of a kitten. Didn't take her long…" Now it was on McKay to look at Lucky with pride.

Sheppard, who had been watching his ruler making herself comfortable in his arms, was disturbed by a cracking in his ear piece. "Colonel Sheppard, this is Weir please respond."

"Sheppard here."

"Colonel, is something up?"

"No. What's the matter?"

"I thought something was up, since you and Rodney are both late to our meeting."

Crap! He had totally forgotten to pay attention to the time!

"Is Rodney is with you, John?"

"Yeah, Rodney is with me. We will be their shortly, Elizabeth. Sheppard out." Putting Lucky down gently, he dragged McKay out of his quarters. "Come on, we're already late!" They hurried to the conference room.

SGASGASGASGA

"…there's one last thing I want to address Colonel. When I went to the mess for some coffee before our meeting, Sergeant Higgins noticed that someone had been cutting out some meet from the one in the cold storage."

Sheppard head snapped up but he was able to put the picture mask of innocence on his face, while McKay choked at his coffee.

"Well, I must say that's strange. Perhaps a dare?" Sheppard offered.

"Um, perhaps. I don't know what to make of this."

"I'll look into it," Sheppard said firmly.

Parrish, who hadn't thought of reporting the missing sand now decided otherwise. "Um? Dr. Weir?"

"What is it Dr. Perish?"

"Well, you know today one of my bags with sand went missing. Along with a plant tub."

Weir looked at him puzzled. "Sand?"

"And a plant tub."

"I'll look into that as well," Sheppard cut in before anybody else had the chance to offer.

"That's very kind of you, Colonel," Dr. Weir told him.

"Oh, isn't he a nice guy?" McKay quipped.

"Rodney!" Sheppard warned. Turning to Dr. Weir, he continued with his best innocent voice, "I'm sure this is only someone pulling a prank."

"I agree. Who would need those things after all?" Dr. Weir wondered.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" McKay muttered.

"What did you say Rodney?" Dr. Weir asked him.

"Me? Nothing really."

Weir eyed him but when he said nothing further she ended the meeting. "Okay, back to work. Gentlemen, Teyla. Dismissed."


End file.
